<h2>PART III. A VOYAGE TO LAPUTA, BALNIBARBI, LUGGNAGG, GLUBBDUBDRIB, AND JAPAN.</h2>
<p> </p>
<h3>III - CHAPTER I.</h3>
<p class="gutsumm">The author sets out on his third voyage.
Is taken by pirates. The malice of a Dutchman. His
arrival at an island. He is received into Laputa.</p>
<p>I had not been at home above ten days, when Captain William
Robinson, a Cornish man, commander of the Hopewell, a stout ship
of three hundred tons, came to my house. I had formerly
been surgeon of another ship where he was master, and a fourth
part owner, in a voyage to the Levant. He had always
treated me more like a brother, than an inferior officer; and,
hearing of my arrival, made me a visit, as I apprehended only out
of friendship, for nothing passed more than what is usual after
long absences. But repeating his visits often, expressing
his joy to find I me in good health, asking, “whether I
were now settled for life?” adding, “that he intended
a voyage to the East Indies in two months,” at last he
plainly invited me, though with some apologies, to be surgeon of
the ship; “that I should have another surgeon under me,
beside our two mates; that my salary should be double to the
usual pay; and that having experienced my knowledge in
sea-affairs to be at least equal to his, he would enter into any
engagement to follow my advice, as much as if I had shared in the
command.”</p>
<p>He said so many other obliging things, and I knew him to be so
honest a man, that I could not reject this proposal; the thirst I
had of seeing the world, notwithstanding my past misfortunes,
continuing as violent as ever. The only difficulty that
remained, was to persuade my wife, whose consent however I at
last obtained, by the prospect of advantage she proposed to her
children.</p>
<p>We set out the 5th day of August, 1706, and arrived at Fort
St. George the 11th of April, 1707. We staid there three
weeks to refresh our crew, many of whom were sick. From
thence we went to Tonquin, where the captain resolved to continue
some time, because many of the goods he intended to buy were not
ready, nor could he expect to be dispatched in several
months. Therefore, in hopes to defray some of the charges
he must be at, he bought a sloop, loaded it with several sorts of
goods, wherewith the Tonquinese usually trade to the neighbouring
islands, and putting fourteen men on board, whereof three were of
the country, he appointed me master of the sloop, and gave me
power to traffic, while he transacted his affairs at Tonquin.</p>
<p>We had not sailed above three days, when a great storm
arising, we were driven five days to the north-north-east, and
then to the east: after which we had fair weather, but still with
a pretty strong gale from the west. Upon the tenth day we
were chased by two pirates, who soon overtook us; for my sloop
was so deep laden, that she sailed very slow, neither were we in
a condition to defend ourselves.</p>
<p>We were boarded about the same time by both the pirates, who
entered furiously at the head of their men; but finding us all
prostrate upon our faces (for so I gave order), they pinioned us
with strong ropes, and setting guard upon us, went to search the
sloop.</p>
<p>I observed among them a Dutchman, who seemed to be of some
authority, though he was not commander of either ship. He
knew us by our countenances to be Englishmen, and jabbering to us
in his own language, swore we should be tied back to back and
thrown into the sea. I spoken Dutch tolerably well; I told
him who we were, and begged him, in consideration of our being
Christians and Protestants, of neighbouring countries in strict
alliance, that he would move the captains to take some pity on
us. This inflamed his rage; he repeated his threatenings,
and turning to his companions, spoke with great vehemence in the
Japanese language, as I suppose, often using the word
<i>Christianos</i>.</p>
<p>The largest of the two pirate ships was commanded by a
Japanese captain, who spoke a little Dutch, but very
imperfectly. He came up to me, and after several questions,
which I answered in great humility, he said, “we should not
die.” I made the captain a very low bow, and then,
turning to the Dutchman, said, “I was sorry to find more
mercy in a heathen, than in a brother christian.” But
I had soon reason to repent those foolish words: for that
malicious reprobate, having often endeavoured in vain to persuade
both the captains that I might be thrown into the sea (which they
would not yield to, after the promise made me that I should not
die), however, prevailed so far, as to have a punishment
inflicted on me, worse, in all human appearance, than death
itself. My men were sent by an equal division into both the
pirate ships, and my sloop new manned. As to myself, it was
determined that I should be set adrift in a small canoe, with
paddles and a sail, and four days’ provisions; which last,
the Japanese captain was so kind to double out of his own stores,
and would permit no man to search me. I got down into the
canoe, while the Dutchman, standing upon the deck, loaded me with
all the curses and injurious terms his language could afford.</p>
<p>About an hour before we saw the pirates I had taken an
observation, and found we were in the latitude of 46 N. and
longitude of 183. When I was at some distance from the
pirates, I discovered, by my pocket-glass, several islands to the
south-east. I set up my sail, the wind being fair, with a
design to reach the nearest of those islands, which I made a
shift to do, in about three hours. It was all rocky:
however I got many birds’ eggs; and, striking fire, I
kindled some heath and dry sea-weed, by which I roasted my
eggs. I ate no other supper, being resolved to spare my
provisions as much as I could. I passed the night under the
shelter of a rock, strewing some heath under me, and slept pretty
well.</p>
<p>The next day I sailed to another island, and thence to a third
and fourth, sometimes using my sail, and sometimes my
paddles. But, not to trouble the reader with a particular
account of my distresses, let it suffice, that on the fifth day I
arrived at the last island in my sight, which lay
south-south-east to the former.</p>
<p>This island was at a greater distance than I expected, and I
did not reach it in less than five hours. I encompassed it
almost round, before I could find a convenient place to land in;
which was a small creek, about three times the wideness of my
canoe. I found the island to be all rocky, only a little
intermingled with tufts of grass, and sweet-smelling herbs.
I took out my small provisions and after having refreshed myself,
I secured the remainder in a cave, whereof there were great
numbers; I gathered plenty of eggs upon the rocks, and got a
quantity of dry sea-weed, and parched grass, which I designed to
kindle the next day, and roast my eggs as well as I could, for I
had about me my flint, steel, match, and burning-glass. I
lay all night in the cave where I had lodged my provisions.
My bed was the same dry grass and sea-weed which I intended for
fuel. I slept very little, for the disquiets of my mind
prevailed over my weariness, and kept me awake. I
considered how impossible it was to preserve my life in so
desolate a place, and how miserable my end must be: yet found
myself so listless and desponding, that I had not the heart to
rise; and before I could get spirits enough to creep out of my
cave, the day was far advanced. I walked awhile among the
rocks: the sky was perfectly clear, and the sun so hot, that I
was forced to turn my face from it: when all on a sudden it
became obscure, as I thought, in a manner very different from
what happens by the interposition of a cloud. I turned
back, and perceived a vast opaque body between me and the sun
moving forwards towards the island: it seemed to be about two
miles high, and hid the sun six or seven minutes; but I did not
observe the air to be much colder, or the sky more darkened, than
if I had stood under the shade of a mountain. As it
approached nearer over the place where I was, it appeared to be a
firm substance, the bottom flat, smooth, and shining very bright,
from the reflection of the sea below. I stood upon a height
about two hundred yards from the shore, and saw this vast body
descending almost to a parallel with me, at less than an English
mile distance. I took out my pocket perspective, and could
plainly discover numbers of people moving up and down the sides
of it, which appeared to be sloping; but what those people where
doing I was not able to distinguish.</p>
<p>The natural love of life gave me some inward motion of joy,
and I was ready to entertain a hope that this adventure might,
some way or other, help to deliver me from the desolate place and
condition I was in. But at the same time the reader can
hardly conceive my astonishment, to behold an island in the air,
inhabited by men, who were able (as it should seem) to raise or
sink, or put it into progressive motion, as they pleased.
But not being at that time in a disposition to philosophise upon
this phenomenon, I rather chose to observe what course the island
would take, because it seemed for awhile to stand still.
Yet soon after, it advanced nearer, and I could see the sides of
it encompassed with several gradations of galleries, and stairs,
at certain intervals, to descend from one to the other. In
the lowest gallery, I beheld some people fishing with long
angling rods, and others looking on. I waved my cap (for my
hat was long since worn out) and my handkerchief toward the
island; and upon its nearer approach, I called and shouted with
the utmost strength of my voice; and then looking circumspectly,
I beheld a crowd gather to that side which was most in my
view. I found by their pointing towards me and to each
other, that they plainly discovered me, although they made no
return to my shouting. But I could see four or five men
running in great haste, up the stairs, to the top of the island,
who then disappeared. I happened rightly to conjecture,
that these were sent for orders to some person in authority upon
this occasion.</p>
<p>The number of people increased, and, in less than half all
hour, the island was moved and raised in such a manner, that the
lowest gallery appeared in a parallel of less then a hundred
yards distance from the height where I stood. I then put
myself in the most supplicating posture, and spoke in the
humblest accent, but received no answer. Those who stood
nearest over against me, seemed to be persons of distinction, as
I supposed by their habit. They conferred earnestly with
each other, looking often upon me. At length one of them
called out in a clear, polite, smooth dialect, not unlike in
sound to the Italian: and therefore I returned an answer in that
language, hoping at least that the cadence might be more
agreeable to his ears. Although neither of us understood
the other, yet my meaning was easily known, for the people saw
the distress I was in.</p>
<p>They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and go
towards the shore, which I accordingly did; and the flying island
being raised to a convenient height, the verge directly over me,
a chain was let down from the lowest gallery, with a seat
fastened to the bottom, to which I fixed myself, and was drawn up
by pulleys.</p>
<h3>III - CHAPTER II.</h3>
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